Date: Tuesday, 9.22.15
Weather: Frikken gorgous – 84 F, nice cool shower rolled through a few hours ago…
Reading: Stormrider by David Gemmell
Daily Accomplishment: 1 hour nap.
Welcome to another entry in our Philippines Photo Montage series, where I pass on to our loyal viewers a number of (usually blurry) photographs that I have snapped as I meander through a typical day in our lovely island republic.
So let’s get to it!
Rice Field: This was snapped on one of the connecting roads between Palinpanon and West Rovira Drive. It’s in the barangay of Candau-ay, and this area (western Dumaguete) is hands down my favorite section of the city – it’s cooler, has a nice breeze and is just a short ride from the (much warmer) city to the east. I also liked the way the clouds were forming in this shot – in real life it was simply stunning; the limits of my Samsung S5’s lens just wasn’t able to completely capture it. I’ll just say, it’s moments like this in which I absolutely LOVE living here….
Beat the Heat: Our lovable electric company (NORECO) announced on their Facebook page that they were having an all day “brownout” a few Sundays back in order to do “line maintenance” – that’s NORECO-speak for having to cut back the ravenous jungle that is always seeking to tear apart their electrical grid. Like many other folks, we headed down to Romana Alar resort to while away the hours on the beach. The wind and surf were very strong that day, and it was the worst snorkeling that I have ever experienced. Ah, well – I guess it can’t be calm and clear with 100 foot visibility every day here……
Typical Underbone: Ah, yes the ubiquitous Filipino scooter. This is a classic example of an older model underbone that you see all over the Philippines. I don’t even know what manufacturer this is, let alone what model, but it looks like an old 80-100 cc. You can see that they have ripped off the old stock muffler and added a DBS muffler which makes these things sound like a Ninja 1000. Some foreigners hate these loud bikes, but I don’t mind them as it gives me some warning that a crazy dong is approaching me from behind. This ‘bone also sports super thin rims and tires which – along with the muffler – are supposed to improve it’s speed performance.
Cane Toad: A local toad posed in this shot atop one of Michell’s many pairs of shoes. Cane toads are all over the Philippines – they are not native, but were brought over to help control bugs in the island’s sugar cane fields. They secrete a toxin from their skin that makes them poisonous to consume – all the wild dogs and cats here seem to know this and – although they’ll play with them – you won’t seem them trying to take a bite.
Eat Cupcakes: This sign is still outside the Scooby’s at the Portal West building. It’s rather amusing at first but considering that a number of foreigners were kidnapped today right outside the historically “safe” city of Davao, it’s now a bit more bittersweet. There have long been battles between the “Mindanao isn’t safe” and “It’s fine – I live there” crowd, but today’s events just go to show that these things can happen anywhere.
Reading is Fundamental: We gave some of the kids in our neighborhood more books that I had shipped to myself via balikbayan box. They REALLY love reading! A subscriber is sending over some toys and books from a high school program that he runs in Texas, and I am sure they are going to be MUCH appreciated. Note that Inggo is reading the “Minnie’s Valentine” book – he is bayot and was very happy with his selection. 🙂
The Kids: Here’s Michell with some of her (many) neighborhood friends. This was taken the same day we gave the kids the books.
Anime Appreciation: On really hot days we escape to the air conditioned bedroom. I usually work on my laptop (or read books on my Kindle) while Michell likes to set up her laptop and watch anime. I myself am a huge anime fan, having watching Grandizer, Gaiking and Star Blazers as a kid, and I am now watching Parasyte. My appreciation of it doesn’t surpass Michell’s though, as she can literally watch hours of it at a time.
Hey Handsome: Cory slipped on Dina’s bathing cap for this candid shot. He looks a bit like a psychopath in this photo, so we’ll just move on to the next one…..
Land Ho: This shot was taken with our Sony Cybershot at maximum (21X) zoom. It was shot a while back down in Dauin and you can actually see Mindanao waaaay off in the background. It’s a gorgeous boat, and it seems like a really cool way to see the islands. The Sony is a great little point and shoot camera that is capable of taking some really nice shots.
My Gal: Here’s Michell chillaxing on our front porch. This was taken on the same day we gave the kids some of the books I had brought over from the United States.
Drying Mulanggay: Mulunggay is stock full of vitamins and minerals, and I like to combine dried leaves with my protein shakes for a little extra nutritional oomph. It grows all over our neighborhood, and once the leaves are stripped of their branches, it doesn’t take long to dry it out in our laundry tub!
Pig in a Poke: This was taken over a year ago while I was on my way down to Pagadian City to visit Michell. This is how they truss up piglets before tossing them on their scooters. Sometimes you’ll see two (or even three) squealing piglets lashed to a motorcycle here.
And that’s it!
Take care, ya’all!
Thanks for the pictures and comments.
Well, thanks much for swinging by and checking it out! 🙂
Hola, great pictures, love your in sites on the Philippines, great people,
countryside, beaches, food. I have lived all over Mexico ! adopted
by a family of ten on the Pacific coast since my wife and I have none
of our own. But the drug cartel made it too dangerous to return…
I hope to make to the Philippines as soon as life lets me. Now I have to
live it through you until then.
Living vicariously through others – we’ve all done at some point! Thanks, Wayne.
Fortunately for me I stumbled across your YouTube site today. ..I have spent the day watching quite a few of them. I look forward to future installments.
Welcome to our excessively dysfunctional family, Donn!
Hi Ned and Michelle
Steve aguirre here in Escondido ca
Really enjoy your helpful videos and advise. I am planning to visit Cagayan de oro in December or Jan. Hoping to side trip to Cebu or dumagete.
Hi Steve. Thanks and have a fun trip – there’s a really long zipline and rafting near there. Also check out Bukidnon – I will prolly be heading up there at some point to check out the cooler/cleaner environs there.